His Own Will
by cchristie32
Summary: Solomon made the choice to be with Saya long ago, now she must choose whether or not she wants to stay with him. SayaxSolomon
1. Chapter 1

The characters in this story do not belong to me. They belong to Asuka Katsura.

Saya's pale hands clutched her cello as she stared at the hard wood floor in her bedroom. Her nerves tightened as she realized she couldn't help knowing that for the past few weeks something had been wrong.

She still couldn't remember anything. It had been six months and she still couldn't remember anything, except how to play the cello. Usually it brought her some comfort to play. It felt familiar; she found a small piece of herself when she did, but now it wasn't working. She felt as lost as ever, and her hands stilled over the strings as she tried to keep the tears from falling.

"Saya?" Solomon stuck his head in the door.

"Yes?" Her breath caught in her chest as she tried to breathe again.

"It's time for your treatment." He walked into the room and she smiled weakly at him, glad she at least knew his face.

"Yes my darling it is that time of the week!" Nathan's happy voice called from the hall before he walked into the room carrying an I.V. and a bag of blood, "Now you know the routine, go lie on your bed." Saya complied, leaving her cello to rest on the red velvet chair in the corner. The chair she never sat on because the color reminded her of death, "The question is: who would you like to sit with you today?"

"I think… I think I would like Solomon to sit with me today."

He nodded and leaned over her, finding an easily accessible vein. She winced as he pushed the needle under her pale skin, noticing the small hill it made in the skin near her elbow. Once a week Nathan would have her lie down and wait a few hours for the bag to drain its contents into her body.

Solomon took the chair from her desk and placed it next to her as he did when she wanted him to sit with her through the treatments. All Nathan and Solomon would ever tell her was that she had a weak constitution and the treatments helped her build strength, though Saya knew there was something the two weren't telling her.

Nathan hung the bag on its metal hook before looking down at her and smiling, "It's so nice to have you around, my sweet little Saya."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, whom else would I dote on if you weren't here? Solomon?" he said with a laugh before heading back down the hallway. Solomon picked a book up off the floor and began to read it while Saya stared up at the ceiling. Momentarily, a blurry face flashed before her eyes. It seemed to happen whenever she had her treatment, the same blurry face would appear but every time she tried to focus on it, it would just float away back into her subconscious. There was a time when she longed to know who's face it was, and the fact that she couldn't ever see it clearly frustrated her to the brink of tears, but the last few weeks she had begun to ignore it. Instead of dwelling on it, she would turn her head and stare at something else in the room.

"Saya? Is something wrong?" Solomon was looking down at her.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"You're gripping my hand, quite tightly actually." Saya looked down and saw that her left hand was, in fact, clutching onto Solomon's, and she immediately pulled hers away.

"I'm sorry." She said softly.

"It's alright, it would take a lot more than that to hurt me you know." He smiled brightly down at her before turning back to his book. She glanced back to see his palm as he reached to turn the pages of his book, and noticed small red marks left by her nails.

She sighed as she thought. Solomon was always so sweet to her and looked at her with such love in his eyes. Nathan doted on her and brought her all the best presents, but Saya could tell he didn't love her nearly as much as Solomon did. She felt like a burden to them, though they would never tell her so. Whenever she asked Solomon, he would smile at her and tell her how much he needed her in his life. Nathan would smile and hug her before laughing at the question. She could hardly remember how to do anything right, but she would always try. After a few minutes either Nathan or Solomon would have to politely help her.

"Saya?" Solomon was looking at her from his seat, his book laying open in his lap.

"Hmmm?" Her attention was quickly drawn back to the present.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He smiled, but she could tell by his eyes that he was worried.

"MmHmmm." She nodded and smiled.

"Alright my little queen, I believe you're done for the day." Nathan had poked his head in the doorway.

Saya looked up at the bag and saw that it was, in fact, empty. She had managed to waste the few hours it took to do simply by thinking about her place in the world. She wished desperately she could remember who she was so she could focus on the future, but since she couldn't she feared she was stuck dealing with the past.

The garden was beautiful in the afternoon; she supposed that was why Solomon put her out on the patio to eat after her treatment was over. He would walk her out and then head inside to get her cookies and lemonade before sitting down to watch the birds eat grass seeds out on the lawn. That day was particularly hot and Saya thought about asking to move inside before deciding it would be too much of a bother.

"Saya you don't seem yourself today." Solomon sat down in the white chair across from her.

"I don't?"

"No you don't. You haven't touched your food or talked much at all. It's not like you."

"Well I've just been thinking about how much you and Nathan have to do for me all the time…" She trailed off staring down at her pale hands in the sun.

"Saya, I've told you many times that the things I do for you pale in comparison to what you do for me." He placed his hand on top of hers, "Besides, what would Nathan do without you around? He has far too much free time on his hands these days." Saya giggled quietly, "There, that's better." He turned his attention back to the lawn and the woods beyond it.

"What do I do?"

"Hmm?" He slowly turned his head back towards her.

"What is it I do for you?"

"You're living your life with me." It shocked her, that he valued her being there that much, that he said it like he needed her more than anything.

Saya got up from the chair and walked out on the lawn. She fell down to the soft grass and sighed. It wasn't long before he joined her. Now she reached for his hand and held it softly before he tightened his grip. He pulled her hand to his chest and held it between both of his hands, "Saya…" She smiled realizing she loved the sound of her name when he said it.

"Solomon, let's go for a walk." She pushed herself upright, waiting for him to follow because she didn't want to lose the feeling of her hand in his. He pulled her to his side before they both set out towards the woods on the edge of the lawn. The trees were spread out to give each other room to grow old together without problem. She relished the crunch of the dead leaves beneath her feet; she thought they made a better floor than anything else in the world. Movement at the edge of her vision caught her eye and she turned her head to find a rabbit perched a few yards away from her munching on the newly budded flowers of a weed that had managed to sprout up, "Solomon, look." Saya pointed smiling and looked back at Solomon to see that he was already staring ahead. After a few moments she followed his gaze to find that he wasn't looking at the rabbit but at a man walking through the woods towards them. She watched him, looking for any signs of a familiar face, but when no comforting recognition came she nervously clutched Solomon's hand. Instead of a reassuring squeeze of her hand in return, Solomon released his grip and walked slowly forward a few steps before turning to face her. Saya stared up at him wide-eyed hugging her arms around herself. Something was wrong; she could feel it.

"Saya, I want you to run back to the house and tell Nathan what you've seen. Tell him everything, don't spare any details, and make sure you do what he says no matter what. Do you understand?" Saya stayed standing, staring over Solomon's shoulder. The man had gotten much closer, but he seemed in no rush to act first, "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" Solomon's voice pulled her back to attention. It was much louder and his tone much more serious; it scared her more than anything she could remember, "Saya, I need you to run."

She took one last look at both of the men in front of her before turning towards the house, "Saya." Her entire body froze with her foot poised above the ground. It was the first time the man had spoken, and there was something familiar in his voice. She put her foot to the floor before looking over her shoulder at him. He was unbelievably calm, just like his voice. A few stray strands of black hair fell messily in his face while he kept the rest pulled back, and his black jacket and white shirt were haphazardly buttoned to reveal a sliver of pale skin, pale like hers. She glanced at the large case hanging from his shoulder before looking timidly into his light blue eyes. She knew them; she knew _him._

"Saya, I told you to run." Solomon was staring at her so intensely she barely recognized him.

"Saya—" The man reached for her before Solomon suddenly appeared before him. The scene was unbelievable. In a moment Solomon had closed the ten-foot gap between them and was now roughly trying to push the man backwards. It wasn't until they finally separated that Saya discovered what was truly strange about their encounter. On the right arm of each man protruding from the elbow, where his forearm and hand should have been only a minute before, there was what could only have been described as a large blade. Saya stared in confusion and shock as each man took turns violently slashing at the other.

"SAYA! RUN!" Solomon's voice was frantic as he yelled at her and she could tell why. Fear suddenly filled her as the man repeatedly sliced at Solomon's chest and arms, ripping gashes in his flesh. She had to run; _she had to get help._ Even if she did have a history with the man, she was sure now that she didn't want to know anyone who would hurt Solomon like that, _her Solomon_. So she turned and broke into a sprint. She ran as fast as she could before she ran into something, hard. The wind was knocked out of her before she had time to comprehend what had happened. She pushed herself off the ground and realized that she hadn't run into a tree, but another man. He was sitting next to her rubbing his arm where she assumed she had hit him. When she didn't recognize his face she began to crawl away as fast as she could, realizing that he probably came with the other man. Then she noticed something that scared her much, much more than the other man, this one had a gun.

Nathan, _she needed Nathan_.

"Saya?" he was looking at her intently now, with something resembling concern.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed before scrambling to get up, but she tripped and was suddenly on the ground again, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"My, my. Well this is a problem isn't it?" She looked up timidly to find Nathan at the edge of the trees, looking over the scene somewhat amused, "You see, you've upset my Saya and I just can't have that. Besides, did you really think you were going to take her back when you only have one chevalier and those silly things on your side, Kai?" Nathan nodded at the man's gun before laughing heartily as if it contained nothing more than water.

"You bastard, I TOLD YOU, YOU COULD NEVER HAVE HER!" The man jumped to his feet before squeezing the trigger on his weapon repeatedly. Saya's hands flung to her face as she winced in anticipation for Nathan's screams of agony, but nothing came. She waited a few seconds before lifting her head slowly, still keeping in mind the possibility that a shot to the head killed him on impact. Nathan stood exactly where he had been, smiling mockingly at the man before him. Had he missed? Was it possible for him to miss six times? Nathan appeared to be fine, in fact the whole situation seemed to entertain him to no end. The man moved to reload his gun, but Nathan was too fast for him. He was pinned to a tree within seconds.

"Why don't you go home before I get tired of you? Who knows what I'll do once that happens."

"Nathan?" Saya called out hesitantly from her crouching place at the base of a tree.

"Yes, my darling?" Nathan smiled at her as if he wasn't pinning a full-grown man to a tree and making violent threats towards him with little effort.

"What—what's—"

"You just stay right there, and when I'm done we'll go and get Solomon alright?" She timidly nodded. Though she didn't fully trust what she was seeing, she knew that Solomon and Nathan were her family, and she would keep that family together no matter what, "Now I know you won't leave my Saya alone so we'll have to be leaving now. Poor Solomon might need my help and you just aren't worth my time." Nathan threw the man roughly to the floor and then turned to offer his hand to Saya. She took it slowly.

"Saya…" The man called to her from his placed slumped on the ground. He sounded hurt. She paused for a moment, a small part of her wanting to help him, but she walked on hand in hand with Nathan.

"Nathan, how are you going to help Solomon?" He walked on smiling as he always did, "Are you—are you like him and that other man too?"

"Yes I am my dear. It's so that Solomon and I can protect you."

"I don't understand…"

"You don't need to understand my dear. All you need to know is that Solomon and I love you very much and would do anything for you," He paused, "I see that I'm too late to offer my services." Solomon stood before the both of them, but even though his clothes were torn and bloody, his body appeared unharmed.

_This is impossible. I saw him get cut. His whole upper body was almost torn to shreds. How is this happening?_

"What happened to the other man?" Saya looked around but didn't see any signs of him. The woods seemed empty, but she was still scared. The things she had seen that afternoon challenged everything she had come know. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't figure out what was going on or why.

"He left with the others." Solomon said quietly. Saya looked around nervously, and suddenly ran to him without thinking, wrapping her arms tightly around his body.

"Saya…" She felt his hot breath on the top of her head and hugged herself even closer to him.

"Oh, Solomon I thought you would be… I don't know what I thought." She could feel her voice wavering as the hot tears began to flow from her eyes. Solomon wiped them from her cheeks with his handkerchief and picked her up to carry her back to the house. She buried her head in his chest and closed her eyes as he tightened his arms around her. When they entered the house he carried her up to her room on the second floor and placed her on her bed.

"Solomon," Saya reached out and grabbed what little was left of his sleeve, "Please don't leave."

"Saya," He smiled warmly down at her, "You really don't remember do you? Not even now?" She shook her head slowly, "I suppose it's better that way."

Saya sat up and gently traced the outline of his face, "Solomon, I know you love me… but what you don't know is how much I love you." He paused for a few moments, and she quickly began to think that she had said the wrong thing, misinterpreted his feelings for something other than what they were.

"Saya," He began, his voice strained, "three years ago I pledged my love to you, and you sent me away time and time again. Three years I've been waiting for you to say that. Three years I've loved you with all my heart."


	2. Chapter 2

He remembered the way he found her. Sitting on the floor completely naked, she'd stared up at him with what he could only describe as childlike wonder. With wide eyes she'd smiled at him for the first time in he didn't know how long. He couldn't believe that Hagi hadn't been there. Even in Milan he felt her wake up, felt it the moment she moved again.

He couldn't imagine what kept Hagi from being with her. He was _her_ chevalier after all.

He hadn't been brought to her. He came of his own volition.

Hagi had left her there. He had gone off to god knows where. Left her there alone.

He shuddered at the thought of her having to wait through the nights without her only chevalier. Despite what others may have thought, he knew she could feel him sitting against her resting place, waiting for the very moment she woke. He would be there to lift her up off the floor and drape his coat over her naked body. He would be there to teach her everything she'd forgotten, most importantly: why she should love him. And he was.

He'd thought about telling her over the year she'd been with him and Nathan. He thought about sitting her down in the living room and telling her everything, even how she'd despised him before, but he didn't want to lose her. He never wanted to lose her again, not now, when she was letting him hold her like she had before. They were dancing again and Saya seemed to blush each time he pulled her closer, "Solomon! Oh, Solomon!" Nathan called to him from the edge of the dance floor. He waved frantically trying to catch his attention, but Solomon kept his gaze on Saya.

"Solomon?" She looked up at him.

"Hmmm?"

"Don't you think you should see what Nathan wants?"

"But my dear, I already know what he wants…" He bent his head so that his mouth barely brushed her ear, "And I'm not going anywhere, not when I finally have you all to myself again." As he pulled back, he noticed a rosy flush make its way onto her cheeks.

"Solomon, we're alone a lot of the time."

"But not like this…"

"Solomon what have you been doing? I've been calling you for five whole minutes!" Nathan had made his way through the throng of dancing couples to Saya and Solomon.

"Nathan I'll meet your friends some other time. Now, I'd just like to be alone with Saya if you don't mind." He focused his gaze back on her, making her smile and blush again.

"Solomon you really must come and meet them. You can bring Saya along if you want." He turned back to Nathan, this time he stopped dancing all together.

"Nathan," All traces of the happiness left his voice as he addressed him, "I don't think you'd like to be reminded of your condition in front of all these people, now would you?" Nathan's eyes darkened at the comment.

"Fine, have it your way. I'll just be off finding a way to make money for us." Nathan ran his hand through his hair before walking back to where a group of six people waited for him.

"Solomon…"

"What is it my dear?" She shook her head lightly and buried it into his neck. Then, he pulled her closer until they were swaying slightly against each other. Her right hand rested between both their chests and Solomon held her left in his.

She told herself that she would remember exactly how the moment felt. There was warmth about him she'd never felt before, or could remember having felt. Ever since the day in the woods, she'd been scared. No matter what she did she was scared and practically clung to Solomon, never letting him out of her sight. When he went somewhere she followed wordlessly. She supposed it was because she feared loosing him now that she knew of the threats in the world. When she sat and thought in silence she couldn't help but picture the man's face and the bandaged hand he held out to her, as if she knew what happened to him or it would help her remember him. Thinking about him made him less scary to her. He hadn't really done anything to provoke Solomon, so why had the two of them fought like they did?

She pulled back from him to look at his face. He looked down at her with the same kind smile he always gave her. He loved her; she didn't know why she hadn't seen it before because just by looking into his eyes she could see it. But this time, when she looked into his eyes something behind him caught her attention. Her breathing slowed, as she looked him over. His hair was the same, so was the sliver of skin exposed by his unbuttoned shirt, "Saya, is something wrong?" Solomon cocked his head to look down at her.

"Hmmm? Oh, it's nothing. I just think I'll go and get something to drink." She gently slipped her hand out of his before graciously pulling away from him, "You should go and talk with Nathan, and I'll be back in a few minutes." Solomon nodded, though he still looked a bit concerned. She walked towards the door to the terrace. She didn't know what she was doing, but somehow he made her desperately curious about him. Only a few couples stood there, probably to admire the view. She walked to the railing and leaned against it. The cityscape lay out in front of her, aglow with all the lights left on for the night. It reminded her vaguely of another moment in time she couldn't remember.

"Saya…" Her muscles tensed and she stared at a pot of flowers to her right. She had to turn around and face him… or maybe he would just leave. Maybe, if she didn't acknowledge him he would walk away and let her go back to Solomon.

"Saya…" She could tell from his voice he was much closer to her now. He wasn't going to leave; he wouldn't just let her forget she'd ever acted on her stupid whim. So, she turned slowly to him. He didn't speak; he only stared at her with his icy blue eyes. His face seemed to be void of emotion, yet she felt that he was somehow possessive of her. He thought she was his.

"Look I don't know who you are, but I want you to leave me alone. I don't care if I knew you because I don't now." He continued to stare at her, and then offered the slightest of nods. His face hadn't changed but his eyes showed some understanding, so she walked past him quickly with her eyes on the ground. She felt him as she went, like he reached out to stop her but never touched her. As he stood alone on the terrace he said it quietly. Somehow Saya knew it was quietly enough that she shouldn't have been able to hear it, but she did.

"If that is what you wish."


	3. Chapter 3

He stood next to the bar with Nathan and his new business associates. Apparently they were on the frontier of pharmaceuticals, but Solomon wasn't paying much attention to them. He could only hear what was going on out on the patio, and what he heard was certainly unsettling. Saya did remember him, and he could only guess as to how long it would take for her to remember everything else. The fights, the deaths, the things he had done, all of it would surely make her push him away again. She would run back to Haji, and he would have nothing. Not even Diva.

"Solomon?" Nathan called over to him.

"Hmmm?" He begrudgingly tore his gaze from the doors leading to the balcony.

"Good, I was wondering if you were paying attention." Nathan laughed, but Solomon could tell from the hardness of his eyes that he'd heard their conversation as well.

"I think I'll go find Saya." He bowed politely to the few people surrounding Nathan and began his way to those doors. Normally he wasn't an angry man. He kept his emotions out of things, but when it came to Saya they wormed their way into situations. So, he found himself getting angrier with every step he took. He cursed Haji and whatever remnants of the Red Shield he happened to be working with for trying to ruin the little piece of happiness he and Saya had found. When he finally reached the threshold to the terrace he was furious. So furious that he grabbed Saya by the arm and dragged her towards Haji.

"Solomon what are you doing?!" She asked, as she pulled frantically at the hand enclosed around her arm.

"We're going to settle this, now." The surprise vanished from her face and realization set in. She began to understand that he knew why she'd come outside and he was angry about it, "Solomon please, I'm sorry I didn't mean to—"

"Saya you have nothing to be sorry about. Him on the other hand…" He pulled Saya to his side as they both came to a stop in front of Haji, "I suppose since he's come back now that you'll have to prove you wish to stay with us once and for all." Haji held his silence and stared back at Solomon with cold eyes, "So Saya what shall it be, do you want to continue living with Nathan and I, or do you want to go back to your old life with Haji and Kai?"

Saya blinked for a moment.

_Haji and Kai._

_Haji and Kai…_ The two names echoed in her head for a few seconds until a flood of memories rushed back. They were snapshots of a different life. One where she was happy and sad and angry all at the same time. It was painful to even think about. She remembered smiling at the man with black hair and the man with red hair. She remembered blood and screaming and the pain that came to her afterwards. Oh God the pain. It was coming now, so much that she had to hold her head just to keep it from splitting open.

Then she remembered Solomon. She remembered dancing with him. She remembered pushing him away after he offered her a new life, what sounded like a better life than all the blood and pain. How did she push him away? He loved her, even then. He loved her and she left him for that man… He came to take her back after that. She felt safe in his arms, the same way she felt in Solomon's arms. Why did she feel that way about that man, when all he brought to her life was death?

The worst memory of all came last. It was Solomon. He was hurt. He was dying. It was all her fault. She killed him. Or, at least she thought she did. She could feel him next to her, but she could only see him falling apart… because of her.

She clutched her head. She was sick. She was going to pass out. Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her back.

"Saya?" Solomon's voice called out to her, calm and soothing. He sounded calmer than he should've been. Then it occurred to her that she might've fainted a lot before. That it was normal for her, and she just didn't know it. She didn't know a lot about herself.

"Solomon…" She felt the hot tears slide down her cheeks. How long had she been crying?

"Saya…" His voice was so comforting, one of the only things in the world that was familiar to her.

"Oh Solomon, I'm so sorry," She reached up and put a tiny hand on his cheek, "How could I have done that to you? You wanted to take me away but I hurt you." He smiled down at her and wiped the tears gently from her face.

"You needed to do something, and now that you've done it we can be together." She nodded fervently.

"Yes. That's what I want." He pulled her against his chest and kissed the top of her head.

"You have your answer Haji." Solomon's voice was low as he addressed the man across from them, "Saya, would you please go wait inside with Nathan while I speak with him?" She looked anxiously between the two before slowly nodding and walking back into the warmth of the ballroom.

"She doesn't remember everything." Solomon turned back to Haji with dark eyes.

"She remembers enough."

"You know what she must do." Haji's face remained impassive as Solomon stepped towards him.

"What exactly do you think drinking your blood will accomplish, Haji? You know as well as I it is only necessary if she wishes to use the height of her power. _She can live without you._" Haji's eyes narrowed imperceptibly at his words.

"She needs to remember."

"No," Solomon smiled slightly as he walked past Haji to lean on the railing, "she needs to live her life." Haji refused to face Solomon as he spoke.

"She has lived… with me."

"Now she is with me." Solomon's grin widened as he remembered her words '_that's what I want'_.

"Ask her."

"I think we both know her answer already. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to inside." He walked swiftly to the threshold again before turning back one last time. The rival chevalier had silently disappeared into the night.

Solomon smiled again. The night couldn't have gone more in his favor.

. .

**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed! I should have another chapter up in the next couple of weeks!


	4. Chapter 4

Saya was silent during the ride home, while she watched the lights blur past outside. She almost hated to leave the city, where there was life, where she was reminded that her life wasn't a dream. Out in the country, where the flowers seemed to bloom year round and the water in the lake was always the perfect shade of dark blue, it was hard to tell the difference between daydreams and reality.

"How did you enjoy the party my dear?" Nathan asked merrily from the seat across from her, though it took her a moment to realize he was talking to her.

"Hmmm?" She turned her head slowly, not wanting to give up the calm of the streets outside.

"I asked you how you liked the party."

"Oh, it was alright I guess." Nathan continued to smile at her as he went on about the subpar hors d'oeuvres, but Saya's attention was drawn to Solomon. He was looking out his own window just as she had been with a small smile gracing his almost marble features. If she hadn't known better, she would've thought that he was actually pleased with the night's turn of events. She couldn't feel anything but the opposite. The adrenaline still pumping through her veins reminded her of the rush of images that she would've preferred to never have seen in the first place. All the repulsive memories of eviscerated corpses and horrible monsters she couldn't have thought up in her wildest dreams.

It had come together in her mind an hour or so after she'd left the balcony when she was standing dutifully next to Solomon, clutching to the one thing that made her feel safe. It was when she happened to glance down at his arm, hanging listlessly next to hers, that time stopped. The realization that what she'd seen that day in the forest was intimately connected to all those people dying and all the pain she'd ever felt almost made her recoil from the man she thought she loved. And even as she remembered Nathan's words '_It's so that Solomon and I can protect you_' the doubt began to cloud her mind. She struggled desperately to see the halo of perfect light that always seemed to surround him as she looked up, but it had already been drowned by his sins.

She had been so sure of her choice, but upon reflection things were complicated and she began to wonder if her place was with neither of them. As she tried to recall the feelings that had come back in that moment, she realized that they had all become jumbled and she couldn't distiguish what she felt for whom.

"Saya?" Solomon's soft voice called out to her, "Saya, are you alright?" She looked up at his face. He was visibly concerned and as his hand reached out to grasp hers she could only just bare to ignore the voice at the back of her mind, _Lies, All Lies._

She told it to shut up, she screamed at it to be quiet. It pained her to mistrust Solomon. _He's the only one who… He loves me… more than anything._ So she leaned into his touch and forced herself to look into his eyes. _He loves me. I love him. Why is it hard now?_ He pulled her into his arms and rested his head gently atop her own.

"We'll be home soon." He whispered.

"I don't want to go back there… Solomon I can't—" She could hear the tears in her voice.

"Then we won't." He flashed a stern glance at Nathan before tightening his arms around her. He could've killed Haji for doing this, for ruining everything he'd managed to give her. She could've killed him too, if she only knew that she could.

The hotel suite was different from her room at home. The rich red fabrics covering every surface made her want to throw up. _Blood. So much blood._ She ripped her dress off, frustrated beyond words that she couldn't control her own goddamn feelings anymore. _Solomon. I Just Want Solomon._ It took her a moment to realize that she'd whispered her last thought out loud, a quiet prayer that she knew might not be answered. Unless she did something about it. Her fingers were punching the numbers of his room before she'd thought on it. _5307._

"Hello?"

"Solomon…" She whispered.

"I'll be right up." He was at her door in three minutes fifty-seven seconds. She counted. When she pulled on the handle to reveal him standing in a half buttoned shirt and his slightly wrinkled tuxedo pants, she had to resist the urge to throw herself into his arms and start sobbing. He walked forward slowly, testing the waters, but the slight movement of her arm towards him was all the encouragement he needed. In a second he had shut the door behind him and begun to pull her towards him.

"I'm so confused." Her voice came out strained and muffled as she buried her face into his shoulder.

"Saya… I wish I could've kept him from you. I tried… I tried so hard…" Suddenly her arms were desperately tightening around his neck because she knew that he was telling the truth. He tried to protect her and always would.

"Tell me you love me." She knew he would comply because he did, but some part of her needed to hear it again, just to be sure.

"I love you. Saya, I love you." She slowly pulled back so that her eyes could meet his.

"I love you to—" His lips were on hers before she had finished speaking, but she hardly cared. He'd let her get to the important part, right? She felt his arms around her waist pull her upwards and then her feet were dangling in the air as he carried her back towards the bed, "Solomon," She started as he pulled away from her, "I'm so tired." He looked into her eyes one last time before laying her down on the bed and climbing in next to her.

"Goodnight."

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to upload, I've had a busy month. Thanks to all of you who are reading and special thanks to those who review! I thrive on your thoughts, please keep them coming!**


	5. Author's Note

To everyone who's been reading:

I thought I should let you all know why I haven't updated in so long. Well, about a year ago my hard-drive crashed and I lost everything, including a +20,000 word story and countless others still in progress. My initial effort was put into rewriting most of what I'd lost from memory, but later in the year I moved cities and sunk into a block that wouldn't let up. Recently I've started writing again and I believe it's going well, as I already have seven chapters of a story I hope to be uploading soon.

In light of this rediscovered work ethic and an upcoming vacation, I think I'll be editing what's already up. I'm also trying to ignite my interest in these story lines in order to have new chapters up in the near future (especially for this one). But remember, I am a perfectionist so please be patient just a little while longer.

Thank you all so much!


End file.
